La Bella Original 1954's

[bobyoung53]

I've been using flatwounds off and on for at least ten years and actually started out playing when they were about the only game in town 50 years ago, yes I'm a geezer. I never used La Bellas though until about two years ago. I started out with Deep Talkin' flats which I have on most of my basses now. I've always been interested in the original La Bellas though that the old timers used back in the day like Jamerson, Carol Kaye on and on but was always afraid to try them, too much tension, afraid of the neck bowing etc. I finally bought some and threw them on my American Fender P/J (Vintage Hotrod) bass yesterday, had to adjust the neck of course, I took the 45-105 Deep Talkin flats off and I am still able to get the neck completely flat and still have more on the truss rod. The only problem I've encountered is that the E string has some slightly dissonant overtones which are already dying down but still... Otherwise I love these strings, they are stiff of course (which i like) but that enables me to be able to pound on the bass (If I want to) with no slap at the end of the neck, the sound is VERY full as you might expect but clear. They are still a little bright and i know it takes some months usually for them to settle down but all in all I am very happy I finally took the plunge and bought some, nothing to be afraid of with these. I expect these will probably be the last set of strings i ever buy for this bass, the presence is amazing and can't wait to do my first gig tomorrow night with them.

 

[bobyoung53]

Oh I forgot to add that I had to file the nut slots a little wider for them to get the first fret action equal to the other frets, also today I had to back off on the truss rod a little as the neck was completely flat so there is plenty of truss rod left. And they actually play just as easy if not easier than other strings I have used as I was able to put the action down lower than I usually can put it because they don't bottom out even when digging in, I am really liking these strings. Also they are sounding better already.

 

[Klonk]

Keep us updated! Very interested to know if those dissonant overtones on the E string will persist or not, those have been the reason I've taken them off now three times. Maybe I'm too impatient.

 

[lowplaces]

I wonder if the neck on my P Bass will handle them. It's an American Special neck with the slim C modern profile but it has to graphite reinforcement rods in it.

 

[bobyoung53]

Keep us updated! Very interested to know if those dissonant overtones on the E string will persist or not, those have been the reason I've taken them off now three times. Maybe I'm too impatient.

They are still there but have calmed down quite a bit, I played the other night and didn't notice them at all while i played. Sitting alone at home plucking near the bridge with the treble up they are there but still not that obtrusive. I'm getting another set and putting them on my jazz I'll post about that too. I'm wondering if maybe I cut the string too short when i put it in, or maybe the wrapped portion got pulled a little because it does go right up to the key on my Fender, maybe I'll try and take it off again and put in a thick nut beyond the bridge to keep the wound part away from the key, in fact I'll try that and post again later on today or tomorrow. Incidentally the strings are still very bright so all overtones are still right up there in volume, i suspect it will take at least a few months for them to get mellow sounding.

 

[bobyoung53]

I wonder if the neck on my P Bass will handle them. It's an American Special neck with the slim C modern profile but it has to graphite reinforcement rods in it.

I really like those graphite rods, I did have to crank on the truss rod but not as bad as you would think, the neck is still nice and flat, it actually plays better with these than it did with 45-105 Deep talkin' flats on it, i got the action lower.

 

[Linnin]

i suspect it will take at least a few months for them to get mellow sounding.

More like three, but the sound you get after six months will last for years.

Maybe I'm too impatient.

Way. Fender Flats sound superb after 30-40 playing hours.

 

[bobyoung53]

I just had to loosen the truss rod again, i think i may have overcompensated a bit when I first put them on.

 

[bobyoung53]

OK I've been using these strings for what 5 days now and one thing is the E string has settled down nicely now, with full treble on with both my P/J bass and my B-18 ( the speaker has very good high end response, it's a Goodmans speaker) I can just barely notice the dissonance and only if I'm looking for it. With it set normally it is not there at all and the strings still are pretty bright at this point so I am confident it will be all gone soon and it sounds good right now.
Another thing which I'm actually surprised about and happy about is how lightly I can play the bass with these strings on it probably because I am able to set the action low and I hate low action usually, I hate when strings slap the fingerboard but these are so stiff they just don't hit the fingerboard pretty much no matter how hard I play. If you played this bass you would not believe they are heavy gauge strings except that they are thick to the touch but I can fly around the finger board with these, they also have a lot of sustain and are very vibrant and another plus is that the notes way up high on the neck are nice and boomy. This bass does have a nice neck, one of the new Fender compound necks which I really like but so far I've had stock Fender round wounds, La Bella light and medium gauge deep talkin flats, and now these and it plays the best by far with these, I never would have expected that. So far i can't say enough about these strings and highly recommend them even if you're a light player.

 

[MObasshead]

OK I've been using these strings for what 5 days now and one thing is the E string has settled down nicely now, with full treble on with both my P/J bass and my B-18 ( the speaker has very good high end response, it's a Goodmans speaker) I can just barely notice the dissonance and only if I'm looking for it. With it set normally it is not there at all and the strings still are pretty bright at this point so I am confident it will be all gone soon and it sounds good right now.
Another thing which I'm actually surprised about and happy about is how lightly I can play the bass with these strings on it probably because I am able to set the action low and I hate low action usually, I hate when strings slap the fingerboard but these are so stiff they just don't hit the fingerboard pretty much no matter how hard I play. If you played this bass you would not believe they are heavy gauge strings except that they are thick to the touch but I can fly around the finger board with these, they also have a lot of sustain and are very vibrant and another plus is that the notes way up high on the neck are nice and boomy. This bass does have a nice neck, one of the new Fender compound necks which I really like but so far I've had stock Fender round wounds, La Bella light and medium gauge deep talkin flats, and now these and it plays the best by far with these, I never would have expected that. So far i can't say enough about these strings and highly recommend them even if you're a light player.

Still have them on? How’d they settle in after 3 years?

 

[bobyoung53]

Still have them on? How’d they settle in after 3 years?

No, I took them off, but I am going to try them again, I'm sure it must have been use error. I use all different gauge DTF's though.

 

[MObasshead]

No, I took them off, but I am going to try them again, I'm sure it must have been use error. I use all different gauge DTF's though.

Yeah I have DTF .105’s I’m wanting more tension though n

 

[bobyoung53]

Yeah I have DTF .105’s I’m wanting more tension though n

I've been out of the country now for almost a year, I have three basses here, a TF fretless with the extra lights .096 which took me a while to get used to they're so light but they do not play like spaghetti like some other light strings. I got another Fender P/J here with the .105's on it and a Ric 4001 with Fender flats, not sure if they're .100's or .105's but they sound great on a Ric. Next time I try old 1954's I'm going to have a luthier put them on and do the nut correct.

 

[Madvora12]

I have the La Bella 0760FM on my short scale Mustang PJ bass. Super deep and warm tone. I thought I could get the same thing by adding the 1954s (La Bella 0760M) to a Squier P bass, but it sounded way too bright for me. Very tight and twangy. I can't stand bright bass tones and have no interest in slap bass. I wanted something deep for walking bass mostly. I tried to add the same 0760FMs to the Squier, but those sounded brighter than I expected too. I don't know if it's Mustang vs Squier P bass, or just short scale vs long scale that determines the warmth in the comparison.

 

[andare]

I have the La Bella 0760FM on my short scale Mustang PJ bass. Super deep and warm tone. I thought I could get the same thing by adding the 1954s (La Bella 0760M) to a Squier P bass, but it sounded way too bright for me. Very tight and twangy. I can't stand bright bass tones and have no interest in slap bass. I wanted something deep for walking bass mostly. I tried to add the same 0760FMs to the Squier, but those sounded brighter than I expected too. I don't know if it's Mustang vs Squier P bass, or just short scale vs long scale that determines the warmth in the comparison.

Seems like the short scale has fewer overtones so you can hear the fundamental more due to the lower tension. I'm Planning on putting 49-109 LaBellas on my 30" Bronco

 

[smatanovic]

Necrothread.

Seeing fender release the Jamerson bass has inspired me to give these strings another try. Last time was a few years go, and I didn’t stick with them long enough for them to break in. I’m a much better player now, and I feel pretty confident that I can mke them work. I have them on a AVII pbass for that funk machine look.